


A big brother's job

by NaGaKi108



Series: Sanders Sides One Shots [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Death Threats, Gen, Head Injury, Non-Graphic Violence, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, Threats of Violence, Unsympathetic Morality | Patton Sanders, kindaaa???, someone gets pushed down the stairs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21585067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaGaKi108/pseuds/NaGaKi108
Summary: Deceit isn't sure what happens first.He is not sure if he first throws himself up the stairs, or if he spits venom at Remy, or what. The only thing he is aware of is that the representation of the sleep circle is now paralyzed and Deceit is pretty certain that his hand is the one holding Sleep's neck and squeezing.
Series: Sanders Sides One Shots [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1482974
Comments: 15
Kudos: 69





	A big brother's job

**Author's Note:**

> Im not a fan of REM/Sleep. So please don't read this hoping for a nice REM or something.  
> I just fcking realized the title had a typo and im sobbing

Deceit isn't one for panic - is not really his territory so he steers clear away from the emotion he has no right to manipulate - so when he sees his younger brother on the floor by the stairs, a bruise noticeable near his forehead and a small trickle of blood, he admits to himself that the white cold flash of emotion he feels is unfamiliar.

He thinks, distantly, drowning by the sudden rush of panic, that the air is suddenly lacking and what little air is around is far colder than usual.

When he finally manages to make his body move he is shocked into silence by the one at the top of the stairs. REM - looking as nonchalant as ever and with his ever-present Starbucks - smiles at him and waves, like Virgil is not on the floor and probably with a concussion.

"Virgil!"

He's by his side in less than a blink, carefully moving his hands in the air, and avoiding touching places he doesn't know if he can - What if his arm is broken? Can he move Virgil's head? Oh God, what if he fractured something? A rib? A leg? Can his brother even move?!

When he hears a burst of despondent laughter his cold panic transforms into burning rage. He moves his seething gaze at Sleep, who had been staring at them with a smirk and a cocked hip, and hisses. He knows it's not intimidating enough for the representation of Thomas's sleep circles, but no way in hell is he gonna let that stop him.

"What the fuck happened here?!" If his words are slurred by the sudden descent of his fangs, poison pooling in the sacs that usually keep his venom in storage, he ignores it resolutely and concentrates on glaring even harder at REM.

"I finally managed to make Thomas sleep, like, there's no way I'm letting Him" he stares at Virgil with disdain, his nose scrunching like smelling something foul "ruin all my hard work, girl"

"He doesn't sleep in the first place because of you" A part of Deceit wonders if his words are even understandable, S's curling and expanding, subvocal hissing starting at full force, making him sound more like an animal than he is used to.

Deceit knows for sure that if he were to stare in a mirror right this second the scales that cover only part of his face would be expanding to cover most of it, yellow eye flashing in the harsh artificial light and amber eye light with energy that he knows is not human. He knows that if he looks in a mirror he would see his fangs, out of their hiding place and dripping with venom and poison and harsh words he knows are more than enough to kill someone - because it wouldn't be the first time.

He knows his tongue would be completely forked instead of the slight split it has during his good days, he knows his mouth would be splitting into the other side - the side that's 'normal' - to give him opportunity to fully open his mouth even if it means dislocating it, because he is not fully snake and even if his jaws are not rigidly attached to the skull he does not have the gymnastic-like ability his kin does.

He knows he looks more animal, and his instincts are roaring at him, begging him to attack, to curl himself up and spring and destroy tissue to inflict his poison and see the threat writhing on the floor in agony because how dare they hurt Virgil?!

When REM only scoffs at him, shaking his now empty cup of Starbucks, and cleans an invisible speck of dust on his jacket Deceit feels the need to kill and eat like he hasn't since Virgil helped him curl his more animalistic desires.

"Why the drama girl? He's annoying and I stopped him, duh"

"What the fuck did you do?!"

"He tried to come and interrupt Thomas so I just, like, gently pushed him outta the way!" he raises his hands in exasperation like this is not his fault "No need to be so growly! The girl is clumsy so he fell!"

"Bullshit!"

Deceit isn't sure what happens first.

He is not sure if he first throws himself up the stairs, or if he spits venom at REM, or what. The only thing he is aware of is that the representation of the sleep circle is now paralyzed and Deceit is pretty certain that his hand is the one holding Sleep's neck and squeezing.

He wants to bite him, to see his venom burning Sleep from the inside. But he can't, he knows he can't because **_he promised_** and he has never hated a promise as much as he does in this second.

Putting some distance with Sleep he hisses, threatening and protectingly, a conflicting mass of emotions that force his normally cold temperature to rise worryingly. His face is so close to Remy's neck and _**if he could just bite him**_ , but no. He takes a deep breath and forces the fangs away, enough so his speech is not as slurred as it has been for the duration of the conversation

"Disappear out of here, and if I ever see you next to my hatchling again I'll make sure my venom stays in your system for as long as I can deceive the others. And believe me" He leans closer to his neck, putting more pressure there and cutting REM's terrified gasp "I've been deceiving them since I hatched, and I'll keep doing so"

When he lets go he eats a cloud of smoke thanks to Sleep's disappearance. He hisses in displeasure and then hurriedly forces his body to go back to the careful equilibrium he usually keeps, he needs to make sure Virgil is okay, and if his fangs keep dropping venom then Deceit himself would be a danger for his younger brother.

When he goes back down the stairs he kneels before his brother with a whimper escaping his throat no matter how hard he tried to keep it in. Raising a careful hand, he pushes Virgil's hair out of his face so he can see what he's working with. It doesn't look good.

He knows rationally that head injuries bleed far more than usual no matter how small the cut, but really, this is looking anything but nice no matter how he looks at it.

"Virgil, brat, kid, come on dork wake up"

"Deedee?"

"Vir, Anx, come on brat open your eyes"

"M' head hurts"

"I know, that's why I need you to open your eyes, come on, do that for your older brother"

Deceit knows he still is being gripped tightly by his panic, he knows Virgil -being Anxiety and all that- can probably feel it more keenly than Deceit himself. Even though he knows all that, and he knows he has to calm down so Virgil won't feel terrified, he can't help but feel the fear and surprisingly paralyzing terror flood his veins.

He takes out his phone and prays - prays to a God he has no opinion on, to a God he never dared to pray before - that Morality answers.

When the call connects he doesn't even bother greeting him, just screaming at him to get to the stairs in the outside world and help because, otherwise, Deceit is going to lose his mind.

Seeing Patton has never been such relief as at the moment, especially when Deceit hasn't even hung up yet. When Patton sees Virgil on the floor his first instinct is to cry, the other is to scream at Deceit and demand an explanation as to what happened.

Deceit explains, doing his best to control the sub-vocal hissing that is still attached to most of his words and praying that Patton can decipher his speech when it becomes obvious he is hissing more than talking. For a second the idea of calling for Logan and Remus forms in his head, but he dismisses it.

Remus won't be calm enough to help, and Logan is not yet an expert on Deceit's hissing to work as a translator. He takes another deep breath and starts over.

Carefully explaining what he can and skipping what he knows will get him in trouble - he doesn't think Patton will approve of him threatening REM, no matter the reason - he shares the tale. When he finishes Patton nods, dismissive, and concentrates back on Virgil.

One part of him is pleased that Morality considers Virgil's head injury more important than anything. The other part is simmering in rage by the dismissive nature of Patton.

REM won't get on any problem, Deceit knows it, he knows Patton will maybe give him a stern talking to and let him go on his way without even a slap on the wrist. Because REM is considered "good" because REM made sure to be friendly in front of Patton no matter what, and because REM is perhaps a bigger liar than Deceit.

So he nods, stiffly, feeling his body still stuck in the dichotomy of his animalistic nature, and walks back. He is careful to give Patton space to work, and helps him when Patton tells him they have to take Virgil to his room.

Once both are there Patton stares at him, disdain and coldness stuck in his gaze and juxtaposing to the smile on his face.

"Thank you, you can leave now" He's all smiles as he explains, and Deceit feels rage bubbling back. When he opens his mouth to protest, to maybe even beg to be allowed near his baby brother, Patton cuts him off "I'm sure he wouldn't like to see you as the first thing when he wakes up, so do us a favor and leave"

Deceit wants to complain, to scream and poison him and destroy him, but he breathes deeply and nods, disappearing back to his room and collapsing on his knees.

Virgil won't remember this, Patton will make sure of it. Deceit can’t help but curse at the same god he prayed to.

**Author's Note:**

> come yell at me on Tumblr.  
> [Analogically-prinxiety.tumblr.com]


End file.
